Introduction to BCome’s environmental impact indicators
BCome calculates a full set of 16 environmental impact indicators based on the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for Apparel & Footwear. These indicators cover the complete environmental profile of a product, from climate change to resource depletion and ecosystem damage.
You can see the results for all 16 indicators in every product’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on the BCome platform.
Climate
| Indicator | What it measures | Unit | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global warming | Total contribution to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions | kg CO₂ eq. | IPCC 2021 GWP 100a |
Water
| Indicator | What it measures | Unit | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water scarcity | Stress placed on local water resources, considering both volume used and regional water stress levels | m³ water eq. | AWARE (Boulay et al. 2018) |
Human Health
| Indicator | What it measures | Unit | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozone depletion | Destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer by halogenated substances, increasing UV radiation exposure | kg CFC-11 eq. | WMO (2014) — as per EF 3.1 |
| Human toxicity, cancer | Potential carcinogenic effects on humans from exposure to toxic substances released during the life cycle | CTUh | USEtox® 2.1 |
| Human toxicity, non-cancer | Non-carcinogenic toxic effects on humans, including organ damage, neurological effects, and endocrine disruption | CTUh | USEtox® 2.1 |
| Particulate matter | Health impacts from inhalation of fine particles (PM2.5 and PM10) | disease incidences | UNEP (2016) — as per EF 3.1 |
| Ionising radiation | Exposure to ionizing radiation from nuclear energy use in the product life cycle | kBq U-235 eq. | Frischknecht et al. (2000) |
| Photochemical ozone formation | Formation of ground-level ozone from NOx and volatile organic compounds, harming human health and vegetation | kg NMVOC eq. | LOTOS-EUROS (ReCiPe) |
Natural Resources
| Indicator | What it measures | Unit | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource use, fossils | Depletion of fossil energy carriers — coal, oil, and natural gas — used as energy or feedstocks | MJ | CML v4.8 (2016) |
| Resource use, minerals and metals | Depletion of non-energy mineral and metal resources | kg Sb eq. | CML v4.8 (2016) |
| Land use | Impact on soil quality and biodiversity from land occupation and transformation | Pt | LANCA® (Bos et al. 2016) |
Ecosystems
| Indicator | What it measures | Unit | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eutrophication, freshwater | Excessive phosphorus causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion in freshwater bodies | g P eq. | EUTREND (ReCiPe) |
| Eutrophication, marine | Excess nitrogen causing algal blooms and hypoxic zones in marine ecosystems | kg N eq. | EUTREND (ReCiPe) |
| Eutrophication, terrestrial | Excess nitrogen deposition in terrestrial ecosystems, altering biodiversity | mol N eq. | Accumulated Exceedance (Seppala et al.) |
| Acidification | Deposition of acidifying substances — SO₂, NOx, NH₃ — affecting soil and water ecosystems | mol H⁺ eq. | Accumulated Exceedance (Seppala et al.) |
| Ecotoxicity, freshwater | Toxic effects on freshwater ecosystems from chemicals released during the product life cycle | CTUe | USEtox® 2.1 |
👉 Where can you find them? All 16 indicators are available in every product’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on the BCome platform.